As the world presents its last respect for Pope Francis, men and women everywhere, including a new generation of faithful, expects the Faculty of Cardinals to convene and select a new Pope.
A conclave, organized by Camerlengo, currently Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, starts 15 to 20 days after the death of the Pope.
“Anything could happen,” said Fox News Digital, associate professor, associate professor and president of Gudorf in Catholic intellectual traditions at Dayton University in Ohio.
Pope Francis revealed burial wishes only a few days after becoming Pope in 2013
Pope Francis was chosen on 266 Pope in 2013. (Gregorio Borgia/AP)
Pope Francis, the Pontiff 266, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, died on April 21, 2025, after 12 years as Bishop of Rome.
“We really don’t have much idea,” he said about Pope Francis’s successor. “I think anyone who says otherwise may be positioning.”
Among the leaders of the Church floated as the candidates waiting are Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Cardinal Filipino Luis Antonio Tagle, Cardinal Hungarian Peter Erdo and the American cardinal Raymond Burke.
“It is useful to remember that the cardinal voters will be, the conclave means with a key, blocked … far from the media and influences,” Gabrielli said.
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The Cardinals College will meet to vote and select the next leader of the Catholic Church. ((Photo of the Riccardo de Luca/Anadolu agency through Getty Images)))
“We have a group of people who play an important role in the church through the world, and they join, spend time together, and this group of cardinals has not spent much time together,” Gabrielli added.
Pope Francis created more than 100 cardinals, including those of developing countries.
“Christ is in the margins,” Gabrielli said.
Duration of a conclave, the cardinals vote through a secret vote. A two -thirds majority for choice is required. After each round of presentations, they read out loud and then burn. The ashes are to notify the public worldwide and the spectators in the Plaza de San Pedro in the state of the elections.
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The Cardinals College meets in the Sistine Chapel in Rome to choose the next Pope. (Arturo Mari, Vatican Pool)
The black smoke from the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican indicates that a new voting round develops. White Smoke points out that a new leader of the Roman Catholic Church is selected.
The secret process, which is necessary, is set in the presidential, local and even mayor elections of the United States. However, the unique electoral process does not prevent people from obtaining comparisons between the most “papabile” cardinals and American political parties: Republicans and Democrats.
“He is very tempting to map people in our political categories,” Gabrielli said. “Those simply do not work very well in the church. There are different emlasses and priorities.”
“This is a very different process,” he added.
The Cardinals College chose Pope Francis in 2013 when he was 76 years old. At that time, the former Pontiff was not considered one of the main cardinal content.
Some Catholics considered the former church leader as “non -traditional” and criticized their sometimes progressive approach to world leadership.
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Pope Francis was 76 when he was chosen. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Duration his 12 -year papacy, the affinity of Pope Francis with the expansion of equality in the Catholic Church, which included paths for divorced Catholics and blessings for same -sex couples.
“My reading is that I had certain particular processes and structures that I was very interested in starting, such as the work on synodality more recently,” Gabrielli said.
Pope Francis also led a conversation about climate change. His emphasis on environmental protection did the same with Pope Benedict XVI and Pope John Paul II before him.
“Hey, was the son of collecting that impulse,” Gabrielli said. “There is really a thread that you see there.”
Pope Francis died on April 21, 2025. (Andrew Medichini/AP)
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Currently, there are 252 live cardinals. However, only the main members of the Church under 80 years are eligible to vote. A maximum of 120 cardinal voters constitutes the voting University.
The limit was established by Pope John Paul VI in 1975.
“I think it is possible that someone can be seen so close to Pope Francis,” Gabrielli said about the next Pope. “I think it is possible that some are chosen that have a different set of priorities than Pope Francis.”